Hand-holdable pacifier

ABSTRACT

An elongated hand-holdable pacifier shaped to conform to a comfortable hand grip with a thumb-engageable open ended groove at one end and a handle portion at the other end.

United States Patent Inventors Edmund R. Boots 2310 Ocean Drive, VeroBeach, Fla. 32960; I

Weston M. Willis, Bar Harbor, Maine 793,730

Jan. 24, 1969 Jan. 26, 1971 said Willis assignor to said Boots Appl. No.Filed Patented Assignee HAND-HOLDABLE PACIFIER 6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

U.S.Cl 128/1, 272/68 Int. Cl A61b 19/00 Field of Search 128/1, 26,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,229,658 6/1917 Sandow272/68 2,520,355 8/1950 Bell 30/340 2,994,530 8/1961 Cohan 272/683,111,322 11/1963 English... 273/183 3,129,939 4/1964 Stock 272/683,262,702 7/1966 Kovacs v. 272/68X 3,265,389 8/1966 Carlson 272/68FOREIGN PATENTS 1,112,170 11/1955 France Primary Examiner-Dalton L.Tmluck AttorneyBrumbaugh, Graves, Donohue and Raymond ABSTRACT: Anelongated hand-holdable pacifier shaped to conform to a comfortable handgrip with a thumb-engageable open-ended groove at one end and a handleportion at the other end.

PATENTEDJANZSISII 3557776 u v I /0 INVENTOR. EDMUND R. BOOTS /i WESTONM. wn |s his ATTORNEYS.

HAND-HOLDABLE PACIFIER This invention relates to a pacifier shaped to becomfortably held in one hand while it is stroked by the thumb to have acalming or settling effect on the user.

The pacifier of the present invention is a smooth, hard, elongated bodywhich is wider at one end and narrower at the opposite end. The widerend has a thumb-engageable groove which extends lengthwise along the topof the body to the extreme end thereof to provide a thumb-strokablechannel which permits the user to slide the thumb of the hand whichholds the pacifier back and forth. The narrower end serves as a handleportion which conforms to the grip of the hand. The bottom is roundedfrom side to side to rest comfortably between the fingers and palm ofthe hand of the user while the thumb is stroking the groove.

In a preferred embodiment of the pacifier, one side is generallyconvexly curved, as viewed from the top, to impart a lengthwisecurvature which conforms to the hand grip in which the pacifier isordinarily held. Also, a plurality of spaced apart finger receivinggrooves are preferably provided along the convexly curved side of thehandle of the pacifier.

The aesthetic effect of the pacifier can be enhanced by forming it of aprecious or semiprecious material. An attractive and relativelyinexpensive pacifier can be made of highly polished stone, such asjasper.

For a complete understanding of the invention reference may be made tothe detailed description which follows and to the accompanying drawingsin which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective top view of the pacifier of the presentinvention showing the hand of the holder in phantom lines;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the pacifier;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are end views thereof;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are plan and bottom views, respectively, of an alternativeform of the pacifier; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 7-7 looking in thedirection of the arrows.

The pacifier shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 of the drawings is a solid, smooth,hard, elongated body 10, for example, polished jasper stone. Thepacifier has a wider end 11 and a narrower end 12.

The top surface 13 of the pacifier is generally flat, and the bottomsurface 14 is rounded from side to side to enable the pacifier toconform with and rest comfortably in the hand of the holder. Portions ofthe top surface can, however, be rounded, and portions of the bottom'canbe flat, as shown in FIG. 4.

A thumb-engageable groove or channel 15 extends lengthwise along the topof the wider end of the body from about the middle of the body andpreferably extends to the extreme end of the body to form an open endedchannel, the open end being shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings. The grooveor channel 15 has a generally concave curvature from side to side asviewed in FIG. 3.

The narrower end 12 of the pacifier serves as a handle portion. Thehandle portion gradually diminishes in width to enable it to be heldmore comfortably.

The side 16 of the handle of the pacifier which is engaged by thefingers is generally convexly curved and the side 17 which is engaged bythe palm portion of the hand, although relatively straight, ispreferably slightly concavely curved so that it will conform moreclosely to the hand grip of the holder.

The convexly curved side 16 of the handle has a plurality ofspaced-apart finger receiving grooves 18 fonned therein to improve thecomfort of the grip.

The alternative form of the pacifier 10', shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 of thedrawings, differs chiefly in that the finger grooves 18' are not visiblefrom the top, as shown in FIG. 5, whereas the finger grooves I8 of FIG.I to 4 embodiment are visible from the top as shown in FIG. 1.

The user holds the pacifier in the manner shown in FIG. I with thethumb-engageable groove or channel 15 facing up. the bottom 14 restingin the crooked portions of the fingers, the convexly curved side 16engaged by the fingers and the side 17 engaged by the palm. With thefingers curled around the handle, the pacifier can be stroked by thethumb sliding back and forth len wise in the groove l5.

The pacifier of e present invention IS intended to afford to the user apleasurable sensation, a calming effect and a release for nervousenergy, thereby contributing to his general sense of well-being. Thepacifier may also be used by persons having nervous dispositions, and asa substitute and distraction for harmful habits, such as smoking andfinger nail biting. It can be of a size and shape which can be concealedby the hand even when it is being used.

The invention has been shown in preferred forms and by way of exampleonly, and it is obvious that it can take other forms, shapes and be madeof other materials. Decorations,

emblems or precious stones can be recessed in the top of the handleportion.

Iclaim:

1. A hand-holdable pacifier comprising an elongated body made of smooth,hard material narrower at one end and wider at the opposite end andhaving a thumb-engageable groove extending lengthwise along the top ofthe body at the wider end to enable the thumb of the holder to slideback and forth along the groove when the pacifier is held in the hand,said groove being a channel which extends along the upper surface of thebody from an intermediate portion to the extreme wider end thereofforming a groove open at one end, a handle portion of graduallydiminishing width at the narrower end, and a bottom surface rounded atthe sides to rest in the fingers of the user while the thumb isengageable with the groove.

2. A pacifier as set forth in claim 1 in which one side of the bodywhich is engageable with the fingers is generally convexly curved, asviewed from the top, to conform to the hand grip of the holder.

3. A pacifier as set forth in claim 2 in which the opposite side of thebody which normally engages the palm has a slight concave curvature toconform to the hand grip of the holder.

4. A pacifier as set forth in claim 1 including a plurality ofspaced-apart finger receiving grooves disposed along one side of thehandle portion of the pacifier.

5. A pacifier as set forth in claim 1 in which the elongated body ismade of highly polished stone.

6. A pacifier as set forth in claim 5 in which the highly polished stoneis jasper.

1. A hand-holdable pacifier comprising an elongated body made of smooth,hard material narrower at one end and wider at the opposite end andhaving a thumb-engageable groove extending lengthwise along the top ofthe body at the wider end to enable the thumb of the holder to slideback and forth along the groove when the pacifier is held in the hand,said groove being a channel which extends along the upper surface of thebody from an intermediate portion to the extreme wider end thereofforming a groove open at one end, a handle portion of graduallydiminishing width at the narrower end, and a bottom surface rounded atthe sides to rest in the fingers of the user while the thumb isengageable with the groove.
 2. A pacifier as set forth in claim 1 inwhich one side of the body which is engageable with the fingers isgenerally convexly curved, as viewed from the top, to conform to thehand grip of the holder.
 3. A pacifier as set forth in claim 2 in whichthe opposite side of the body which normally engages the palm has aslight concave curvature to conform to the hand grip of the holder.
 4. Apacifier as set forth in claim 1 including a plurality of spaced-apartfinger receiving grooves disposed along one side of the handle portionof the pacifier.
 5. A pacifier as set forth in claim 1 in which theelongated body is made of highly polished stone.
 6. A pacifier as setforth in claim 5 in which the highly polished stone is jasper.